Embedded control systems (“control systems”) can be used in a wide variety of different field applications. For example, control systems can be used to control and monitor power stations, turbines, and the like. In relatively complex control systems, it is typically necessary to control different output signals and to monitor or sense a variety of different types of input signals such as thermocouple inputs, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), currents, voltages, capacitances, inductances, and resistances from a plurality of field sensors.
One type of control system employs configurable input-output (IO) channels, also referred to as universal IO channels, to serve as the digital and analog interfaces to field sensors for a number of different types of applications. Configurable input-output channels have switchable elements to direct signals to different input and output components in the channel. This type of control system facilitates a modular and scalable design approach of the controls for a number of applications, in which the same configurable IO channel design are used for any sensor or control interface, and the configurable IO channels are then configured for the specific application during the manufacturing, assembly, or commissioning of the control systems. Configurable input-output (IO) channels can simplify the installation of a control system by, among other things, reducing the complexity in the wiring of the field sensors to the control system.
What are needed are devices, systems, and methods that can further reduce the complexity of wiring of the control systems during its installation. In addition, what are needed are devices, systems, and methods that can further improve the design of configurable input-output devices to provide additional features and/or to reduce components in a given channel implementations.